The Secrets Behind the Demigods: NICO
by ABitStrange
Summary: This is the story of Nico di Angelo - through Tartarus and back. His sanity was shattered like fragile glass.
1. Chapter One: The Falling into Tartarus

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

_**NICO**_

The screams kept waking him.

_Who was it, _he thought. _Was it the voices? No, it couldn't be. It was myself. I'm scared of myself._

It had been days - or was it a week? - that Nico had fallen to Tartarus. His stomach lurched constantly and repeatedly, becoming more horrific and breaking each movement.

At least he had the seeds. The pomegranate seeds that could only sustain him for a shrivel of time. He just had to hold onto his life. _Should I eat one, _he pondered. _I know I'm going to die._

The tears dripped down his cheeks, falling into darkness and eternity. He was tired, _hungry, _and weak. He wanted so badly to see Hazel and Bianca... Bianca...

The air _whooshed _up into his ears, causing his eardrum to be painfully strained always. When the void pulled him in, he could only think about the past. What had happened. What he _wanted. _He needed to live his life, he knew deep down he wouldn't be with the others anymore. He remembered how much he loved them, some more than others. Hazel... and Percy...

He shouldn't be grieving on Annabeth dating Percy. Ever since he saw her flirting with him; and when they kissed... Nico was so full of angry he felt drained of his happiness. He wished they were in his place. Ever since Percy and Annabeth rescued them, Nico had always looked up to him. He felt, stronger with him. More powerful. Like a big brother, or a friend. He wanted to him, he's just afraid what the others will think of him. He is angry at Percy, let Bianca - his sister - get killed. He didn't help her.

At least Nico still had a sister - yet she was a half-sister - Hazel. Hazel loved him, but she was living a second life. It was weird having a sister who should be dead. Without her coming back to life from the dead - Nico wouldn't have known she even existed.

Nico had a compassionate love, and an eternity of hatred for Percy.

He always wanted to be more than friends to him.

Hunger was taking a slow and grueling toll on Nico's body. He was painfully thin; with sunken eyes and a deep nose. At least he had the seeds. They were in his shredded pockets. At least he wanted them...

_My sword! _Nico thought. His jagged obsidian blade was strapped to his black jeans, probably faded from him falling. It would be a huge use to him in the future. He thanked the goddess Fortune for his great luck and remembrance! He nudged his side with his elbow, and sure enough, it was there. He swallowed and coughed, and flew to his back of the momentum.

He spotted beneath and the dark void was getting - _brighter! _Since he hadn't seen light for days, his pupils enlarged and his legs shook. He saw the hell that it really was, demons - monsters - hellish imps. Up to this point, it scared him. But he was stronger than this.

His small body made impact with the horrific, dirty ground. He took a sharp breath, and he thought it was his last.

It didn't - _hurt. _It was shockingly cold.

He looked and saw the rouged terrain and jagged mountain and reddish size. Demons, deities, creatures flying. Ready to hunt or be hunted. Thickets of gnarled, nasty thorns popped out of nowhere. The air - every puff - was harder to breath. He felt himself getting weaker. He felt - _lost. _

Since that cold liquid was something, it could be water. Water was the main priority. He was already dying of thirst. He felt the moistness leave his mouth and wanting there to be something to quench his thirst. He plunged he trembling and nimble fingers into the potent stuff. It _burned _him - yet it was cold.

What could it be? Water? Something so cruel and horrid it kills you instantly? Was it so _intensely burning _that it felt _freezing?_

He scooped up a cupful, and drank up.

It cleared his sinuses at first. He swallowed and he felt it plop into his belly. His eyes intensely seared, like someone poured pepper into his eyes. He scream and shook, the stuff convulsing him. It felt like he had eaten all the campfire in the world. He felt his skin getting hotter, heating him up. It was too much, but Tartarus was chilly, so it warmed him up. The hot mixture _boiled_ his insides, making him want to scream and cry and hurt all at the same time. He felt his stomach acid boil up and up, violently shaking him in discomfort. It felt like he just ingested pure molten gold.

He remembered from a class at Camp Half-Blood about this horrid thing - the River Phlegethon - it was where bad and wrong sprits went before they went to The Fields of Punishment. But _why _would the tortured souls come here? Was it so they could _endure _something?

He looked at the scrapes on his legs. The wounds and punctures started to close. The skin turned more flesh-toned. He was being _healed. _

Nico _knew _he had to escape this.

_Dad, _Nico prayed, _I need something. I know you're busy and all, and I'm just one of your annoying kids. But can you do something? Something to help me. That's all, nothing huge, just a small favor. _

He stood with his head in his small palms. He just needed something.

After waiting for an hour - was it an hour? - Nico was holding onto his living. He knew his Dad - Lord Hades himself! - loved him. He wouldn't let him die. He was going to die from the elements. Hunger was making him miserable.

He saw a red horse emerge from the ledge Nico was standing near. Nico's legs turned to lead and his heart dropped into his stomach. It had these orange sparks and embers flying off of it. Its eyes are pitch black and it had leathery alizarin crimson wings. It had hooves, but they were formed into sharp claw-like things. It looks like it rip and person - even a demigod - into pieces within seconds. Did Hades send this? It flapped its strong, powerful wings and landed next to Nico. It had a small bag latched around it's neck and Nico lifted the flap and there was a paper inside.

"What's this?" Nico asked himself. "I didn't even thing Dad cared about me that much. After all, he let Bianca _die_." It read:

_Dear my beloved son, Nico,_

_Please take this horse as a token of acceptance. He isn't so kind - he's a fighter. He'll help you get to The Doors of Death and escape. The horse will be your companion. Name him, it'll make you feel more attached and alive. Scrape it out of your mind. The other's know you're here - in Tartarus. I... I love you Nico. You'll get out. Bianca is safe here with me. Her soul is not in vain._

_ From your father,_

_ Hades_

The horse - or whatever it was - nuzzled him with it's snout. He was nudging Nico to get on. Nico ran over to the River Phlegethon and scooped some water in the sack Hades gave him as he knelt. He was keeping it just for emergencies. He lifted one leg over the horse and hopped on. Strange as it sounds - it didn't hurt him, miraculously! It was very rough and hard. He touched the flaming horses scalp and stroked it. He needed comfort. He rubbed it's head and thought:

_You need a name._

Nico quietly pondered his idea. It was lucky of him that he hasn't been attacked yet; there were _hundreds, _perhaps even_ thousands _of demons and monsters. Nico had his blade, but that can't kill such a monstrosity of creatures. The horse he was riding was fidgeting and it looked like it could fight. After thinking for a while, he had the perfect idea.

"How about _Brenton?" _Nico asked the flame horse. The horse snorted out smoke and nodded his head. Nico took that as a yes.

Brenton raised his leathery crimson-blood wings and flapped. Nico was surprised at how strong and fast he was.

"Away Brenton! Away! I'm stronger than this. I am free! I am powerful!"

Nico and Brenton flew of into the into the sky, as the others entities lifted into the air.


	2. Chapter Two: The Attack of Darkeness

_boy._The_ Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Two: The Attack_

Nico and Brenton did not expect the _taraxippus. _

First it spooked Brenton, and made him neigh up in the air, hooves up at the sky. Which, of course, was it's purpose. _Taraxippus _are sprits that scare horses and are responsible for runaway horses and bucking of them. They are servants of Poseidon - who isn't just the god of water and the seas - also horses.

If only Percy was here he could talk to Brenton-

_No, _Nico thought. _Don't think about Percy. He's dead to me._

The harassing _taraxippus_ was translucent to Nico, and Nico's breathing wasn't doing well. The ghost figure was draped in a gray-white torn cloak. It's head was down just enough so you could see it's eyes. It's furious, seething eyes bored into Nico. He was terrified, so much he was shaking. The _taraxippus _materialized away, but Nico could still see him. He was focused on a hellhound, fixed to fight, not worried about Nico.

Nico pointed at the entity. "Brenton, he's there!"

Brenton jerked his head and snorted. Immediately, he dashed to him.

"Ready?" Nico asked the horse. Nico couldn't speak horse, but he thought he said, _Yeah boss! I've always been ready!  
_Nico unsheathed his dark blade. It came out with a _shink. _

Nico grasped the blade and jumped onto the sprit. He fell a bit through, but Nico shockingly brought down the blade onto the ghost. As all monsters do, it dissipated into dust, reforming in Tartarus.

_Wait. This was Tartarus._

Before Nico fell into Tartarus, he heard about the Doors of Death, and how they needed to be closed. And Gaea, she just wouldn't stop. We thought the war with Kronos - the titan, father of Zeus - was bad and horrible and grusome. How many demigods are going to fall to Mother Earth?

The dust of the monster fell to the ground in wisps and chunks. It was golden, and it was swirling slowly. It would take him about two years to reform again.

Brenton flew to the ground and Nico dismounted. He ran up to the dust and kicked it up, stirring the particles. He saw the face of the _taraxippus _appear in the swirling remains. Nico jumped back, and realized it was an illusion.

_It will take him two years to reform. He is messing with your mind! Be stronger than him!_

Brenton knelt and Nico mounted him. He flew up high in the air, and Nico looked around for any monsters.

There weren't any; at least not any in sight. Which you would think it is a good think - except it wasn't. If there were a lot of monsters, they would be near the Doors of Death. Except there aren't.

Brenton nuzzles Nico's shoulder in comfort.

"It's okay buddy," Nico cried. "We'll be safe."

Nico glared of into the hazy distance. He saw a wispy feeble girl standing in a field of chipped black glass. "Brenton," Nico muttered, "Go down there,"

He did so. Nico's shoes were ripped and tattered and had part of the sides torn. The glass scratched him, leaving him to bleed. He takes a swig of the liquid fire, and even though the pain is unbearable, he endures it just to help the weeping girl.

She is wearing a white headdress and a blue toga around her. Nico runs up to her - though the glass is excruciatingly painful - a puts a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Weeping helplessly, she turns up at him from her knees. "Hello young boy," she said with a raspy voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "I'm here to make a - _persuasion _you could say."

"First, what's your name? And who are you? Where are you from?" Nico harshly asked.

"I," the feeble lady started, "Am Ichnaea. I'm the goddess of travel and tracking. My name actually means 'the tracker'...

"I'm angry at the gods for not giving me a throne on Olympus, so I'm heading the right way, with Gaea."

Nico stated, "You shouldn't be heading down that path."

"Why _not?_" Ichnaea snapped back. "It'll help us minor gods _win! _Zeus doesn't know how to run anything. I know you're a child of Hades, _boy. _You have a natural aura of darkness, like your sister, Bianca."

_"Don't _talk about my sister," Nico angrily said. His temper was boiling over because of her. "And what do you want with me? Why are you here?"

"I already told you, _child. _I'm here to make a _trade._

_"_I see you've been traveling for a while. I, being the goddess of tracking and traveling, I can help you! Alas, I'm not going to just give my power to you! You're going to have to do something for me. Maybe, win a game. My power will become your ticket out of this life of pain and suffering. You can be back with Hazel - with Percy."

"What's the wager," Nico snapped. He wanted to kill her - she shouldn't talk about him and Percy. He needed this. He would rather die than not see Hazel, everyone; and Percy... oh Percy... Nico needed him.

"Here's the deal. So, we will have a competition of our skills and power.I see you have your - maniacal horse there. I won't have a companion like you do, alas. I'll be fair, as I'm a goddess, and let you keep the wretched pet. And harming each other? Free for all." She replied.

Nico shuddered at the thought of Brenton dying. He had become attached to him closely, he couldn't imagine anything harming him.

"_Alright_," Nico shook. "Prepare to fight."


	3. Chapter Three: Unfair Conflict

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Three: Unfair Dispute_

The other god was just unnecessary.

Suddenly _Ichnaea _changed it up. She decided that Brenton was unfair to her, as he wasn't just a horse - a _flaming_ horse. It was an unfair dispute. That's not what she said in the original rules.

They had moved onto a fleshy, raw ground. "That's not what you said!" Nico exclaimed. "You said it would be just you!"

Ichnaea shifted her footing. She put her arm - draped like a willow tree, from her dress - around the god Nico had been mentioning.

His eyes were unsettling. They seeming - _evil. _Like pure darkness and wrong doing had been poured into his eyes. Nico couldn't tell the color of them either. They went from a crimson-blood red to and terrorizing black to... who knows what?

The deity had a murderous smile, his off-white teeth curling up into a horrific jawline. At the tips of the sides of his lips had _thread_ - which Nico found disturbing - stitched into the tips. Flaps of thread frayed off his lips - making a repulsive disgust of Nico. He had a tilted head, with a curl of his straight black hair coming up. He wore a dark void-like robe that seemed to draw Nico toward him.

_He wanted Nico's soul._

"Greetings," the man clarified. "I am Moros, god of doom and fate. My mother is Nyx, goddess of the night. My name means gloomy - sullen if you will. I'm here to have some fun with you - _Nico."_

Moros' throat gurgled with a ghastly tone.

Nico seethed his sword into his palm. He felt - _threatened. _Non-sublime.

Moros held his pure black palm up. It looked like he was painted with ink - or was ink himself. A purple-black ball of energy swirled in his palm.

_It was pure death._

"Nico di Angelo," Moros said in a horrific tone, "I will be the one who takes you _soul."_

Nico grasped his black Stygian iron sword and dashed toward Moros. Nico slammed the tip of the blade to Moros' skull - if he even had one.

But he was... _gone. _Moros seemed to have vanished out of Nico's eyes.

"Come out you _coward!" _Nico gasped, tears - streaming down his face in fear. He was _gone_. "My sword can absorb your essence!"

Nico flicked his head - and saw Moros and Ichnaea bending over and staring at Nico in a twisted and disturbing fashion. "Our power together - you can't _stop it! _We shall serve Mother Earth!" They eerily said in unison. Nico needed his horse - Brenton. Brenton could help Nico. He could just trample and squish these puny, minor gods into oblivion.

Nico was in fear. He felt in fear of dying - after everything with Percy... Nico hated himself and everyone around him. His knees shakily fell to the ground in dismay. He wanted to die and just give up.

"We know why you left Camp Half-Blood, _Nico di Angelo,_" Ichnaea sputtered. "We know your secret, _boy. Just die and give up. _Give up knowing your_ lover _will_ always hate _you_!" _

Nico wept and sobbed. He felt like crying out his soul - his essence. All his emotions boiled a cocktail in his stomach, and he retched.

He smeared the blood on his forehead and it drained into his mouth, his pale eyes gazing at Tartarus - knowing this was his end.

Brenton fought hard and long - but Moros kept him held off with his dark magic.

"I hate Percy Jackson!" Nico screamed. "I hate him! He is a nightmare to my _life!_"

"Nico di Angelo," Ichnaea whispered, "_your fate is met." _She raised her palm and the same orb of light whirled in it, hovering like an angelic ball of light. Brenton neighed and pounded the ground with his hooves atop Moros, and he just teleported.

"I didn't have a crush on Annabeth - he had a crush on... a crush on..."

"Say it _boy! _Exclaim to the bowels of Tartarus about you secret. After all, no one care about you!" Moros screeched.

"I had a crush on Percy Jackson!" Nico yelled, screaming so everyone could hear. "Stop bullying me and leave me alone!"

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Ichnaea. "We are gods! You are at our mercy!"

Nico fell, and his sword clattered to the ground. _Clang, clang._

His hair flew over with a strong gust of wind. This was it - his end - his doom. Moros was the _god _of _doom. _Nico was weaker - smaller - more vulnerable. That's why he felt more comfortable around Percy - he felt more confident and awake in his talents and abilities. When Annabeth and Percy kissed - when they kissed...

Nico laid, the poisonous air seething through his body and pain coursing through his veins. He felt his body dying - his eternal life core floating away from his body.

For the first time - though he was dying - Nico felt strangely _alive. _

That's when the god came down - like an angel - and the healing began.


	4. Chapter Four: The Aura of Healing

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Four: The Healing_

Nico was desperate.

When the god came to Nico's dismay - Nico was surprised that _anyone _was coming at all. With Moros and Ichnaea, Nico abjured from them - turning, clinging to his mere being. Nico brooked his fate - until Asclepius came. Nico took his hand in drear. He had large icy blue eyes, shimmering blonde hair - he was very tall and strong, and to Nico, he looked very young - and held a chiseled wooden staff with a snake enwinding it. His face spoke of happiness and he had a simile that you could get lost in.

Nico sniffled and tears rolled down his cheeks in fear. The deity had created a force field-like aura around him and Nico. Ichnaea and Moros slammed their palms against it. They threw their balls of energy and Ichnaea screeched:

"I _will _kill you child! I will hand your soul - your essence to Moros - the god of impending doom! This is not the last of me. I will not leave in descry!"

Asclepius held his finger at the god and shook it in a _no _fashion while shaking his head. Nico gazed up at his beautiful face, and cried out of joy. Moros shot his dark ball of energy at something in the distance, and I heard a neigh of pain.

"I want to feel alive," Nico whimpered.

The god heard his dismay and replied, "I am here to protect you."

Moros howled into the depths of Tartarus, "I will call the forces of Gaea upon you!"

Moros was about the same height of Nico - then he grew. Nico knew god's could change their forms - but a lumbering ten-foot tall giant screaming, "I will find you!" Was _not _Nico's idea of fun.

Ichnaea did the same - about nine-foot tall. "We're coming for you - _child!_"

Nico stared into Asclepius' icy blue eyes. He closed his palm around Nico's forehead and whispered - "Hush child. It will be all right."

At that moment the god turned into a fifteen-foot tall giant and stomped the ground. Nico huddled in the giant's palm in fear. Asclepius kicked Moros and he fell screaming the words, "I curse you in the name of the River Styx!" His words and remembrance trailed behind him. Ichnaea yelled up at him: "I just want the boy! Give him! We're both gods - right? We can team against him."

Asclepius closed his palms around Nico, encasing him. "How about not."

Compared to the god, Ichnaea looked puny - runty even. He lifted her into the air and held her by his fingertips over the edge of Tartarus.

"Who's the child now?" He said to her - referencing Nico. He flung her outward, screaming like a banshee.

The deity opened his palm and Nico stood up. "I don't believe I've introduced myself, I'm the god of healing, rejuvenation, and physicians. You may know my daughter - Hygeia. Or even my well-renowned father - _Apollo. _I apologize for this, well, _intimidating _form. If I'm going to protect you, I better be strong!" The giant chuckled.

"My name's - " Nico started.

"_Nico,_" he interrupted. "I'm here to protect you, Nico. I'm here to help you. I have foods, water,"

Nico's eyes perked up at the word: "_Water? _You have food and water?" He jumped up and down in excitement. "Yeah," he mumbled in his booming tone. "Here you go." The god placed a bottle of _Kool-Aid _and a couple packs of _Fruit Gushers _on his right hand where Nico was. Nico sat cross-legged and devoured them like he had never had food. Well - it had been a while since.

"Bianca told me they were your favorite."

Nico asked, "What?" then realized her soul was still out there - _searching _for her little brother - so she could be a big sister again.

* * *

Nico enjoyed his snacks of Kool-Aid and Fruit Gushers and asked Asclepius a question - himself - had been pondering a horrid and draught force. "Where's Brenton?"

Asclepius looked around and shrugged. Nico spotted a dead unmoving body in the distance.

_It was him._

Nico started to tear up. The god boomed, "Death is just a cycle of life."

Asclepius knelt and placed Nico on the ground. Nico was microscopic compared to Asclepius. The giant looked down at Nico's puny size and laughed out loud. "Ha! You're so small and helpless! Go help your horse. He doesn't look alright."

Nico laughed back and found the serious matter in sadness. He ran up to Brenton's dead corpse with waves of tears streaming down his face and fell to his knees in prayer.

_Hades, _Nico prayed, _This is an enormous question. My horse Brenton has died. I need a blessing._

Nico waited with the enormous god for three Then, for just a fraction of a moment - Brenton shook and quivered with life.


	5. Chapter Five: The Life

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Five: The Life_

Nico did _not _expect the horses chest to rise - then fall.

He rested his feeble, weak hands atop his horses body and wished more and more for grace.

_Hades, Hades, _Nico cried. _I need your mercy._

Nico raised the horrid - animal from the dead. It flickered its floppy ears in joy. It slowly and leisurely stood - its hooves shaking in fear of falling. Nico patted Brenton shakily. "It's okay buddy. Just stand." Asclepius laughed down at them. "He looks okay. Want to ride your horse there - Brenton - or me to carry you?"

Nico gazed up at the gigantic god. "Can you carry both me, and Brenton? I'd make me feel more - well, _protected._"

"Sure thing little guy."

Asclepius knelt and placed his enormous hand onto the deep crimson, fleshy ground. Nico put an arm around Brenton and ushered him up to the gods hand. Nico wondered, "How are we going to escape? I'm - I'm scared Asclepius. I - I want to be _free._"

Asclepius put his hand to his forehead - scouting the terrain. "Well, there's another _taraxippus. _Better not go there." He was right. There was another ghastly entity hovering over the depths of Tartarus, looking for a victim. They are on a cliff - _did you call it a cliff in Tartarus? - _and they saw it. The Doors of Death - the only way for Nico, Brenton, and Asclepius to escape. The was purple, held with gnarled chains stricken into the ground. Lights were behind it, glowing ominously in the backlight. Nico shuddered in fear. "It'll be all right, little guy," Asclepius soothingly whispered to Nico.

Surrounding the doors were a e_chidna, _a monster than grossly was half-nymph. But, the other half - was a black speckled snake. Its jerked it's head a slithered around, hissing, searching anxiously for a victim.

Another was a huddled group of Nymphs made from ashen wood - they had small crevices implanted in them, boiling over, red gushing out.

Nico knew they weren't here to be friends.

Nico's Stygian iron sword was seethed in his holster, as he was in fear of what was to come.

Other monsters and imps were scattered around - looking to fresh crimson blood.

Asclepius set them down - serving a testimony of strength in his character.

"Brenton, I'll always love you." Nico says.

_It was time for fighting._

Some ashen Nymphs ran up to Nico, clawing at him, terror streaked along Nico's pale face. Nico slashed one, and it hissed in pain. Brenton charged at a couple and bucked - sending them flying away in power. Asclepius - however - being a god, picked up the entities and crushed them with his massive fingers. Nico screamed in pain. A _echidna _bite Nico - sending poison through his veins. It coursed through out him in swiftness - Nico collapsed in pain, and regained his step. He slashed the creature and chopped it in half.

Asclepius snatched Nico and looked down at him - resting in his palm. "You alright there?"

Nico didn't say anything. His jaw locked in fear and pain. Asclepius clasped his hands around Nico. He knelt his head down and put it atop his hands - Nico inside. He muttered in Greek:

"θεραπεύω αυτό το ευλογημένο παιδί - να τον βοηθήσει να είναι θερ και δυνατό στο όνομα του _Ασκληπιού_! Αμήν."

Nico felt the pain emerge from his being. Asclepius saw Nico's look of surprise on his face as he lifted his hand. "Better?"

Nico was _more _than better. He felt: "I feel alive."

The god placed Nico down. Nico was ready.

He yelled a triumphant roar - more like a squeak - and mounted Brenton. While they fought the gorgons and the ashen nymphs, - **time** - seemed to slow for Nico.

He felt himself get _cold, _he wouldn't stop shaking.

As he started to feel alive, Nico tumbled into darkness, all was lost - and the whispers began.


	6. Chapter Six: Mother Earth

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Six: Mother Earth_

Nico saw the sky twinkle.

Well - it wasn't the _sky. _Nico had been floating for _days _in a dark void. _Whispers _taunted Nico with things like:

_"The pain is unbearable." _A raspy old voice mumbled.

_"When will we take him to her?"_ The gnarly elderly woman demanded.

_"He is malicious!" _A high pitched voice agreed.

A deep, manly tone muttered, _"We shalt burn him! Slaughter him - and Jason Grace - the one who can call upon the thunder and storms! Annabeth Chase, the horrific offspring of Athena. And that disgusting boy - Percy Jackson! The one who is born of the deity of sea. _

_And Piper McLean - born with the power and gift of charm speak. The big clumsy teenage boy - Frank Zhang - descendant of the Argonauts. _

_"Leo Valdez - born with an eternal flame upon himself. He can summon embers to dance upon his fingertips - he is a threat. We shall eliminate the boy. _

_"The daughter of the witch - Hazel Levesque is terrible, she is the one who can summon from η quietness και υψηλότητα - Terra! The one who curses the riches - all who touch may die! The rubies - diamonds - gems - emeralds - everything between! We shalt spill their blood upon the Earth in the name of Gaea!"_

Nico's eyes flick and flutter. He opens them and sees star twinkle as he is hovering. He life-full body tilts and Nico cries:

"Who's there?"

Silence replies. Nico shakes in pain. Every puff - _every puff _- is filled to the brim with pain.

The lighting turns blue and a aqua moon glows behind a massive silhouette.

A lady - enormous - has waterfalls cascading upon her, and rainbows flowing down her. A living tree and planet grow upon her - valleys and biomes and oceans coming upon her. Her gigantic wings are made of animals - all living creatures - living on her.

She _is life._

Her - what would be her ear - has a beautiful and whimsical carnation sprouting upon her.

"I am the beginning and the end. I am the past - my present - and your future." The way she talked was like thousands of voices were talking at once - some malicious, some vile, gentle - with power upon it.

"Who are you?" Nico yelled.

"I am Gaea."

Nico floated in dream. Voices and words and names echoed in his mind - _Brenton. _Who was that? Nico kept getting an impression of an animal. Was it - a dog? A zebra? A horse? Nico kept thinking of a flame. Somehow - it was connected to that... animal.

And he kept thinking about a god. Or - maybe - gods? Words popped into his mind - traveling - healing over time - and... evil? Doom?

The earth woman - Gaea - was staring at Nico. Nico yelled, "Why are you doing it? Why are you spilling demigods blood?"

"For what they did to me. They broke me. I'll break them back."

"But why?"

"_Don't _disrespect me! I pulled you of Tartarus into the House of Hades! I did the to tempt your idiotic friends into going there! You will be with my sons - Otis and Ephialtes. They are - _interesting. _Have fun, my little pawn."

The light became brighter, and Nico fell into the palm of the giant.


	7. Chapter Seven: Giants Mercy

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Seven: Giants Mercy_

"Please - don't hurt me!" Nico struggled.

It had been a horrid - grueling day since the cruel giants - Ephialtes and Otis had imprisoned Nico - the next day they were going to take him to Rome, and do who knows what.

The twin giants were in their cavernous lair - waiting to go to Rome. The giants sat on a stone couch. Nico, at his small stature, stood on the table in front of them - begging for mercy.

Nico was lifted by the back of his torn shirt by Otis - dangling - at Otis' mercy.

"Think we should snap his neck?" Otis mumbled gleefully. "Or _crush _him?"

Nico struggled to escape. "Please! Let me go!" He cried with tears.

"I don't know," Ephialtes said. "Maybe we should make him work for us. Be our slave. Killing him wouldn't be worth it."

"How shalt we make him our slave?" Otis asked. "Cause I really want to kill him."

"No you idiot! He's the son of Hades. His sister - Hazel, we take him away - they come to us. Percy Jackson, Jason Grace, Frank Zhang, Leo Valdez... But we can make him worship us. Break some bones. But _no _killing."

"Fine," Otis started. He set Nico onto the cold, damp floor and stood over him - marveling Nico in height and size.

"Go ahead son of Hades," Otis mocked. "Run away."

Nico didn't know why. He knew that he couldn't make it - but he ran anyway. He encountered a bone-white rug and stopped at it. He climbed over it - running for his life. Otis took two steps and stepped onto Nico - pinning him down. Otis' enormous foot pressed onto Nico. Nico gasped for air - clinging onto his life. The foot cover Nico's body - and his back ached in pain.

"That's right," Otis joked. "Cry little demigod. Fear and beg for your puny life - or this will be the end of you! Ha!"

Ephialtes mumbles something about being superior.

"I'm weak!" Nico cried - shaking in fear. "Please, be humane!"

"Funny how that works," Ephialtes laughed. "We're not human. We're giants!"

Ephialtes ran up to Otis torturing Nico, and grabbed Nico in his hand. His hand was easily five times bigger than Nico. Nico whimpered and cried in fear and dismay - begging and asking for mercy.

"Nyx is upon us," Otis stated in a know-it-all kind of way. "Where are we going to put this scum of a demigod?"

Ephialtes lifted his finger to his chin and tapped in thought. "Somewhere _malicious. _I know..." He finished with a horrifying look streaked across his face.

The giant glanced at a clear, rusty bronze jar. Otis chuckled and said, "Doesn't look go for you! But for us... great!"

Otis snatched Nico and he stood up in his hand. "You're so tiny," Otis started, "I could just kill you right now - squish you to death. Ha. Maybe I should."

Ephialtes popped open the jar with a _CLUMP _and dropped Nico in. He slammed his palms upon the jar prison he was trapped inside. He felt like a prisoner.

Nico _remembered a way to life_.

As the giants readily left for New Rome, Nico reached into his torn pocket of memories and discovered the opening.

Seven pomegranate seeds. Nico thought he could here a giant say,_ "Away from us,"_ As he picked a seed - and threw it into his starving body.

_Nico's mind finally fell into a façade. _


	8. Chapter Eight: Shattered

_The Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Chapter Eight: Shattered_

_Three seeds._

That's what Nico had left. After he ate that first seed - the giants couldn't figure out what happened to Nico. He was just floating in a sedative from, cross-legged and pale - bags under eyes - not breathing. He could _think _though. Trapped upon the eclipse that was his own mind.

But Nico couldn't give up.

_Words _flashed and came into Nico's mind.

_Death._ **HATE.** _Death._

Nico thought in his head, _I am the son of death. I should be **dead**._

* * *

After the seeds had run out - Nico's life was hanging in the balance.

Every breath hurt Nico gradually. Finally, he heard _voices._

"Hey - big guy!" A quirky and clever voice announced.

A heavy grunt followed by heavy steps. Nico heard a flame make a _FWWUM _followed by a deep yell!

"My hair! My _hair! You should die puny demigods!_"

The same voice screamed and wailed in pain. Nico saw outside the jar and saw Leo burning Otis' hair. Leo was running for his life from Ephialtes trying to crush him under his huge feet. Leo yelled screaming, "Please don't kill me! Please don't kill me!"

Jason ran into the room. Nico couldn't believe all these people here. Jason flipped his coin in the air and it morphed into a heroic golden sword. Jason exclaimed, "Ah ha!" And flew into the air. He was riding the winds - as he was - his sword in front of him into Ephialtes' leg.

Ephialtes yelled and pinned down Jason, crushing him. Jason screamed and his girlfriend, Piper, came in and charm spoke.

_"Off of him!" _she demanded - pouring all her emotions and soul into her words. The giant stepped off him, and realized what he had done - as Jason flew off - yelled, "You fools!"

Piper screamed,_ "Away!" _And Ephialtes backed off - and yelled in anger.

And don't even get me _started on Leo._

He was just flicking fire balls all around - setting things alight and causing terror in the giants eyes. Typical prankster - Leo.

Hazel and Frank ran in - well, Frank wasn't _Frank. _He was a monstrosity of a bear - claws out, teeth shown, ready to fight. Hazel was riding in like a princess atop Arion, her horse that could travel across a country in minutes.

Hazel's weapon was shown - along with Pipers Kapotris. Piper stared into it and saw two demigods drowning in pitch-black oil, perhaps ink. She shuddered and decided not to tell anyone. With all the fighting happening, she ran up to Nico and rapped on the glass jar he was encased in.

"Nico?" she cried. Nico limped up and hazily gazed into her eyes, weak and frail, close to death. He felt like he swallowed a tube of glue. "Hazel! Frank! Everyone, help!" With tears in her eyes she proclaimed, "I need- I need help! Someone, please!"

Hazel galloped along to the jar Nico was in with Piper, Frank beside her.

"We need your strength, Frank," Hazel begged with tears streaming down her face. "Nico is _dying!_"

Frank as a bear growled and smashed the lid. Hazel and Piper lifted Nico's limp, pale body out of the jar. Hazel reached into Arion's bag - along his neck, and got a bottle of water and a wedge of bread and force-fed it to Nico. He tried and lifted his mouth - barely sustained.

"He needs rest," Piper added. "Leo burned Otis, since fire's his weakness. Ephialtes is being attacked by Jason and Leo - he's beating them up. We have to help."

"Let's get him out of here," Frank agreed, "to safety."

"Hurry!" Hazel screamed with anxiety in her voice. "I'm just worried about my little brother."

"Frank, take him, please? You're the strongest." Hazel asked her tough, bulky boyfriend. In a low manly tone Frank said, "Of course, Hazel," As he spoke this his planted and kiss on Hazel's cheek; and she blushed. He effortlessly hefted Nico's limp, boney body and hoisted him out and through a tunnel, leading to the outside world. Camp-Half Blood.

For once, Nico didn't look back. Instead - Nico's sanity was **_shattered. _**

**_THE END_**


	9. Chapter Nine: Epilouge

The_ Secrets Behind the Demigods:_

**_NICO_**

_Epilouge_

Nico was... _changed._

Deep down, Nico knew he would never be the same. He felt like someone had pushed a knife through his stomach - skewering his heart.

Not to mention his soul.

Nico could summon the dead - only because they were scared of him now. Armies and troops of undead soliders from wars, children striving to life, entire families - trying to make something out of their wrecked souls.

And they were **_scared _**of Nico.

Nico couldn't imagine having people scared of him. Not to mention - people who weren't even _living_ were scared of him. He felt like a _monster_ - an outcast - like he shouldn't have been born.

And Percy - Nico couldn't tell anyone.

_Piper, maybe I could tell. She seems trustworthy. But as a daughter of Aphrodite - she might tell everyone! Like Drew, or Silena._

_Jason. Jason - he doesn't seem too bad. I need to tell someone! He could be the single one. But - should I trust him? He could be afraid of me. If anyone would know - it shalt be him._

_Annabeth... no. She can not know. No acceptions._

_Leo? No. Too... quirky. The secret will get out because of him. Besides - I despise him. He'll never accept me._

_Hazel, she seems very kind. Gentle. Caring. She's certainly a canidate, as she is wise._

_Frank - he'll just be weirded out by me. I'll be a freak! No one loves me!_

Nico fought himself over and over - wishing he was gone and hating himself. He just needed a friend.

Fighting himself with his words, he fell - decending into the twilight of darkness - consuming Nico whole.


End file.
